Bad John Country

A.K. Gonzales is back with his seventh novel. From the writer of Folks of Lore, Lost for Words, and The Paperbag Trail comes a wildly suspenseful and drama-fueled thriller.

In a Trinidad and Tobago overrun by gangs, the newly elected Prime Minister, George Gary, sets out on a mission to clean up the streets by force. After years of planning, he compiles a list of the nation's most dangerous men and their addresses. With the help of Commissioner Jeff Ramsey and Sergeant Bernie Williams, the Prime Minister puts together a new anti-crime task force, known on the streets as the "Government Goon Squad." Given the directive to "shoot first, ask questions later," this new anti-crime task force disrupts the activities of numerous gangs both within and outside the country.

The story of Bad John Country begins with renowned Trinidadian businessman Ricardo Grande standing near the shores of Merata Beach, anticipating the arrival of drugs, guns, and girls from Venezuela. A shipment that never came. It was the first time in 10 years that the Venezuelans missed a shipment. El Jefe, the Venezuelan kingpin, is spooked by the Trinidad government's aggressive new approach to crime, prompting Ricardo to speed off to Venezuela to investigate. El Jefe then tasks Ricardo with the mission of dealing with the new Prime Minister before they send any more shipments through Trinidad. El Jefe grants Ricardo a seven-day deadline to address the situation, thereby initiating a frantic race to unseat George Gary and his Government Goon Squad.

Bad John Country is a character-driven story, exploring the ins and outs of the crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago. It touches on themes of racism, violence, police brutality, and sexism.